PC world - ASUS - who should return my faulty tablet

Rzjj

Thanks for all the replies so far.

To update further, ASUS have now replied following my request for them to escalate my issue still saying that the EU technical team consider it CID (customer induced damage) however the tablet has not been looked at or assessed by this 'team'.

LetMeRepair, their UK based repairer have confirmed in an email that there is no other damage other than the screen crack.

I have said to both that I am more than happy to have the tablet assessed further as I know that this a manufacturing fault rather than misuse by me, it just seems that they can't be bothered with this and that all screen cracks will just be classed as CID's.

I have wrote back to ASUS expressing my dissatisfaction with their responses thus far although doubt I'll get a reply.

I guess all I can do now is get it sent back and and then go down the route of going back to PC World and perhaps contacting my credit card issuer.

Thanks all for your help so far and I'll keep updating my progress.

Rzjj

For anyone still following this one here is a further update:

I got no further with ASUS, it seemed that the "computer says no" and that any cracked screen has to be the fault of the customer. As mentioned I expressly asked them to take it away for further diagnosis but they didn't want to know.

I had the tablet returned to me, at a cost of £42 to me.

I took it back to PC World to get them to sort it out under the sale of goods act, as recommended earlier in this thread. The store were of no help and said that they could not authorise anything like this, I was very persistent and managed to get the assistant to phone head office and I was then put on to one of their 'customer service' people. I then had a 30 minute and at times animated conversation with someone who didn't have a clue about the sale of goods act or their responsibilities under said act. The conversation only changed when I started using legal terms and read some excerpts from the act and reminded her that it was actually down to them to produce the report and not me as the goods were under 6 months old. I was also told that they should have sent the tablet back to ASUS and not me.

She advised that they needed to contact ASUS, I wished her luck with that, and she said that I would get a call back within 48 hours as she had a day off the following day.

3 days later and still no call, so I phoned back and spoke to somebody else. They told me that nothing further had been done since my previous conversation but that somebody would phone me back in 24 hours (today).

Surprise, surprise and still no call so I phoned back this evening and was told that the lady I'd been dealing with was forced to take a week off as her holiday allowance needed to be used up (I'm sure I heard someone in the background laugh as this was explained to me). I am led to believe that my contact will be back in the office in 3 days and I'll get a call back on the 4th day.

I wait with baited breath..........

Why do these companies fob people off so much when the law appears pretty clear?

mije1983

Rzjj wrote: »

Why do these companies fob people off so much when the law appears pretty clear?

The SoGA doesn't give you rights against the retailer for user inflicted damage though.

I maybe wrong but I do feel you will struggle to get a positive outcome for this, especially as the manufacturer has stated that the damage was caused by you (and indeed possibly was as you stated in the first post).

If you get no joy you could get your own report done, and if that shows it was down to an inherant fault rather than user damage, you could argue that the manufacturer has a vested interest in not admitting poor design in their original dealings with you.

SuperHan

mije1983 wrote: »

The SoGA doesn't give you rights against the retailer for user inflicted damage though.

I maybe wrong but I do feel you will struggle to get a positive outcome for this, especially as the manufacturer has stated that the damage was caused by you (and indeed possibly was as you stated in the first post).

If you get no joy you could get your own report done, and if that shows it was down to an inherant fault rather than user damage, you could argue that the manufacturer has a vested interest in not admitting poor design in their original dealings with you.

Exactly this.

The law is clear... In the first 6 months they have to prove it's an inherent fault. They have proved it's not by getting an expert report.

Now it's down to you to find someone who will write a report saying it's an inherent fault, at your cost.

Rzjj

I just wanted to confirm two things on this thread:

1. I promise I did not cause the crack, it happened as I docked the tablet into the keyboard attachment as I had done many times before. (I wish I hadn't put "trying" in the earlier post to avoid confusion)

2. The reason I sent the tablet off was to get precisely that, an experts report, and so far this has not been produced by anyone. The approved repairer has merely confirmed a cracked screen from the dock area which is from a visual inspection. Believe me I want ASUS or PC World to do whatever they need to do in terms of inspections and hopefully they will be able to tell that it was some form of fault/defect.

The above is the reason I'm getting frustrated by their lack of interest in checking this out properly for both mine and their benefit.

I've seen posts on other forums confirming similar problems so both should aware of the issue.

mije1983

Rzjj wrote: »

The reason I sent the tablet off was to get precisely that, an experts report, and so far this has not been produced by anyone.

I would say that ASUS probably regard their approved repair company as 'expert' enough to asses whether it is user damage or not. Whether that is right or wrong is another matter!

Rzjj wrote: »

I've seen posts on other forums confirming similar problems so both should aware of the issue.

Don't get too hung up on things from other forums. They will only be a small percentage of users so not enough to show an inherant fault with the design of the product.

As you have it back now, and both PC World and ASUS are refusing to do any more, you can either get your own report from somewhere else or go to small claims court to get your money back.

Rzjj

Small claims court it is then!

The report from the so called experts when I asked for a copy of the was this:

"We don't do an engineers report as such, however I have copied the technicians repair comments below:

Powers on - Boots to OS

All hardware tests passed

LCD external digitizer glass cracked (from dock area)

Order LCD digitizer"


I'm sorry but anyone who considers this an experts report frankly needs their heads testing.

The reason I'm so frustrated and will follow this all the way is that I know how this happened and if everyone wants to dodge their responsibility then so be it. If people are happy to be bullied by the big corporates who only apply the law when it's on their side then products will just get made even more shoddily in the future.

Perhaps Watchdog may want to cover this one, I've got copies of all the correspondence I've had with PC world, LetMeRepair and ASUS.

DCFC79

SuperHan wrote: »

Now it's down to you to find someone who will write a report saying it's an inherent fault, at your cost.

OP have you done this yet ?

SuperHan

Rzjj wrote: »

Small claims court it is then!

The report from the so called experts when I asked for a copy of the was this:

"We don't do an engineers report as such, however I have copied the technicians repair comments below:

Powers on - Boots to OS

All hardware tests passed

LCD external digitizer glass cracked (from dock area)

Order LCD digitizer"


I'm sorry but anyone who considers this an experts report frankly needs their heads testing.

The reason I'm so frustrated and will follow this all the way is that I know how this happened and if everyone wants to dodge their responsibility then so be it. If people are happy to be bullied by the big corporates who only apply the law when it's on their side then products will just get made even more shoddily in the future.

Perhaps Watchdog may want to cover this one, I've got copies of all the correspondence I've had with PC world, LetMeRepair and ASUS.

Noooooo

They have got an expert's response. They have therefore proved it is user damage (rightly or wrongly). They do not have to provide you with an expert's report.

You now have to go and find another expert who will support your case.

The law is NOT on your side until you do what you are supposed to. You will be laughed out of small claims court.

Watchdog may be interested, but from experience of watching it they are looking for a story and ignore consumer rights, they expect above and beyond service and make a deal if it's not offered.

Rzjj

Finally - an update for anyone interested.

I sent a letter of complaint to the CEO of PC world (DSG international) setting out my concerns and what I was expecting as a resolution. I received a phone call from a very helpful and sympathetic member of their executive 'customer care' team.

He listened as I explained what steps I had taken to date, he then gave me his direct dial and said he would be back in contact within 3 days and that he would speak to ASUS himself.

As promised he called back and said that ASUS hadn't been very helpful to him either and he mentioned that he was also incredibly disappointed with their response. He explained DSG's position on this and fully understood the SOGA and it's implications; shame some of their other staff don't.

He offered me a no quibble exchange and gave me a reference. An email was sent to my local store authorising this.

Today I collected a brand new replacement!

To all those people out there in a similar position as well as the naysayers and doubters I can give this advice:

Persevere

If you don't get a satisfactory response from the store or head office then escalate your complaint to the CEO. Your complaint will then be passed to a competent person and will be dealt with.

Keep all correspondence with the store, manufacturer or anyone else involved in your process.

If you are honest and to the point and know you are in the right then continue with any complaint as far as you can.


I'm now happy that this has been resolved, not that it happened in the first place.

The guy I dealt with was a very competent customer care agent and I will be sending a letter of thanks to them and will name him as an example of excellent customer service.